Concealed repository in cabinet furniture



(No Model.)

, P. SHANNON. GONGEALED RBPOSITORY IN CABINET FURNITURE.

Patented Dec; Z7, 1887.

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-' UNITE STATES PATENT OEEicE.

FRANK SHANNON, OF MIDDLEPORT, OHIO.

CONCEALED REPOSITORY IN CABINET FURNITURE.

SPBCIFICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 375,574, dated December 2'7, 1887.

Application filed September 15, 1887. Serial No. 249,771. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK SHANNON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Mid dleport, in the county of Meigs and State of Ohio, have invented'new and useful Improvements in Concealed Repositories in Cabinet Furniture, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to articles of household or office furniture having drawers and in which a secret repository or concealed safe is provided for the safe-keeping of valuables, the object ,being to arrange such repository or safe so that its presence will not be suspected, and in such a way that its screening-plate cannot be moved without first unlocking and pushing back or removing one of the adjacent drawers.

The invention consists in certain peculiarities of construction and in novel combinations of parts, as hereinafter described and claimed. In the annexed drawings, illustrating the invention, Figure 1 is a perspective view of a piece of furnitureinwhich myinvention is embodied. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same, partly broken away.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral'l designates a bureau, dressing-case, or like an ticle of furniture having drawers 2 and 3 of anysuitableorwellknown construction. Some of these drawers, as designated by the numeral 2, may extend across the entire front of the article, while others, designated by the numeral 3, are arranged in a series of preferably two or more in the same horizontal row. These drawers 3 are provided with suitable locks. At the rear of each drawer 3 is a stop, 4, so located that the drawer can be pushed back a distance equal to a little more than the thickness of the drawer-front.

Between two of the drawers 3 and in the same horizontal row is placed a metallic safe or strong box, 5, of any suitable construction, I

such that it will fit accurately into the space between the drawers on each side, and its front will be set back a distance equal to the thickk ting of a screening-plate, 7, which in outward appearance resembles a drawer-front. This screening-plate 7 is made to slide along and between the upper and lower crossbars or dividing-strips, 8, when either of the drawers 3 is pushed back against its stop 4, and in order to hold the plate 7 between the bars8 and guide it in its movements said bars are provided with tongues or heads 9 to engage grooves 10, formed in the upper and lower edges of the plate,or any other means of guiding the screening-plate maybe provided. After the box 5 has been closed and the screening-plate 7 pushed in front of said box, so as to conceal it, thevdrawers 3 will be pulled out into their normal position flush with the front of the article of furniture, and by then looking said drawers the screening-plate will be secured from movement in either direction.

WVhen it is desired to gain access to the concealed safe or secret repository, one of the drawers 3 will be unlocked and pushed inward or backwardagainst its stop 4, thereby enabling the screening-plate 7 to be moved along in front of said drawer and soexpose the safe or box 5 to view. While the screening-plate 7 is in front of the box 5 and both drawers 3 drawn outward and locked, said drawers by bearing against the ends of the plate, will prevent it from being moved, and so render any further fastening unnecessary. The screening-plate may, however, 'be provided with an additional lock or fastening of any suitable kind, and this fastening can be so arranged that its position and operation will be known only to the owner and those to whom he may communicate it.

The invention is applicable to various articles of furniture having drawers, and by properly fitting and ornamenting the front of the screening-plate to correspond with the piece of furniture the existence of the secret repository 5 will not be readily detected, even on close examination. This effect can be increased by reducing the dimensions of the secret repository so that it will occupy a small space and giving its screening-plate the appearance of an ordinary filling-piece or moldin By arranging the sliding screening-plate in such a manner that it can only be moved after first displacing an adjacent drawer the need of a special fastening for said plate is obviated and the risk of exposing or discovering the secret repository is still further lessened, while by providing separate fastenings for the secret repository, screening plate, and adjacent drawer the security of the repository will be greatly increased.

I am aware that bureaus have been provided with sliding secret drawers locked in place by concealed fastenings which can only be operated to release the secret drawer by first withdrawing i'he main drawer of the bureau. I am also aware that articles of furniture have been provided with movable panelsto conceal inciosed spaces adapted for various purposes, and that secret repositories or safes have been concealed in articles of furniture by means of movable screening-plates that can be operated without disturbing any of the drawers with which such furniture has been provided. Such constructions, therefore, I do not claim.

\Vhat I claim as my invention is 1. In a dressing case or other article of furniture, a secret repository or concealed safe arranged adjacent to a drawer and having a sliding screening-plate finished to correspond with the front of said article of furniture, said drawer being movable inward to enable the screening-plate to slide in front thereof, substantially as described.

2. In a dressing-case or other article of furniture, the combination, with a drawer having a stop located to permit an inward move ment of said drawer within the front of the article of furniture, of a secret repository or concealed safe located adjacent to said drawer, and a sliding screening-plate to conceal the safe or repository, said plate being movable in front of the drawer when the latter is pushed inward, substantially as described.

3. In a dressingcase or other article of furniture having drawers, the co1nbination,with a secret repository or concealed safe located adjacent to a drawer, of a sliding screeningplate held in place in front of said safe by said drawer when the drawer-front is flush with said plate, the screening-plate being movable to expose the safe or repository only after the adjacent drawer has been displaced, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I aifix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

v FRANK SHANNON.

\Vitnesses:

JAMES L. NORRIS, Jos. L. (1003185. 

